Article carrying bag and method for its production

ABSTRACT

An article carrying bag comprising a pigmented film and an overlying transparent film. The films are heat sealed together along adjoining side edges and each of the films are folded at one end of the bag. A heat seal is formed in the four-ply folded area at an offset position relative to the bag edge thereby providing re-enforcement whereby the bag can be efficiently suspended for display purposes. The combination of the transparent and pigmented sheets provides a viewing window and background for the most desirable display of articles included in a bag. The bags are manufactured by a method which includes the movement of overlying transparent and pigmented sheets through a folding machine whereby a narrow four-ply portion can be efficiently formed by means of a hot wire stationed so that heat will be transferred to the film for sealing the four plies of film together.

United States Patent [191 Brieske m1 3,765,597 Oct. 16, 1973 [75] Inventor: Bernard F. Brieske, Palatine, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Vision Wrap Industries, Inc.,

Palatine, 111.

[22] Filed: Sept. 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 184,539

[56] References Cited UNITED. STATES PATENTS 5/1963 Kugler 229/62 2/1937 Hutt et al.. 206/4534 3,508,375 4/1970 Myers.... 206/65 S 3,256,127 6/1966 Brieske 156/253 2,439,584 4/1948 Shumann 229/62 Primary Examiner-George E. Lowrance Assistant Examiner-Stephen P. Garbe Attorney-McDougall, Hersh & Scott [5 7] ABSTRACT An article carrying bag comprising a pigmented film and an overlying transparent film. The films are heat sealed together along adjoining side edges and each of the films are folded at one end of the bag. A heat seal is formed in the four-ply folded area at an offset position relative to the bag edge thereby providing reenforcement whereby the bag can be efficiently suspended for display purposes. The combination of the transparent and pigmented sheets provides a viewing window and background for the most desirable display of articles included in a bag. The bags are manufactured by a method which includes the movement of overlying transparent and pigmented sheets through a folding machine whereby a narrow four-ply portion can be efficiently formed by means of a hot wire stationed so that heat will be transferred to the film for sealing the four plies of film together.

3 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures ARTICLE CARRYING BAG AND METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION This invention relates to an article carrying bag, particularly useful for displaying articles contained therein. The bag can thus be employed for packaging articles to be sold at a retail level.

It is recognized that the sales of certain consumer items can be significantly enhanced if articles are packaged in an attractive fashion. Thus, great sums are expended in package design with a view toward increasing the appeal of a product to the consumer.

In addition to package appeal, it is extremely important to provide efficient packaging from the standpoint of the cost of packaging material, the cost of package manufacturing, and the cost of filling the packages. Thus, the packaging efficiency is clearly a factor in determining profitability, and even if sales could be significantly increased by a particular design, some designs cannot be adopted because of manufacturing and other expenses.

In the manufacture of flexible packaging, low cost pre-packaging is an extremely important factor. Thus, cellophane, polyethylene, and bags of similar materials are usually manufactured as high volume items and are considered to be lost cost types of packaging. Nevertheless, there are demands for various attractive features, and it is, therefore, desirable to provide flexible packaging which will still provide a degree of consumer appeal.

It is a general object of this invention to provide an improved design for a flexible package whereby a relatively low cost but highly attractive package can be produced.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide an improved flexible package in the form of a bag having both a transparent and a' pigmented film with the transparent film providing a window and with the pigmented film providing a background whereby an article can be displayed in the package in a most attractive fashion.

These and other objects of this invention will appear This re-enforced section is provided by means of a fold in each film so that four plies of film are present at this end of the bag. The four plies are heat sealed along a line spaced inwardly from the bag edge, and a suspending means such as a grommet may be provided in the re-enforced end.

The bag of the invention can be produced in a highly I efficient manner whereby relatively low cost products hereinafter and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, specific embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a system for producing bags in accordance with the concepts of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a suitable foldin technique used in the formation of the bags;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken about the line 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a package produced in accordance with the concepts of this invention; and,

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken about the line 88 of FIG. 7.

This invention relates to an article carrying bag having a pigmented film forming a back wall for the bag and a transparent film forming the front wall. The adjoining side edges of the film are heat sealed together, and one end of the bag comprises a re-enforced section to permit suspending of the bag for display purposes.

become available. The method for production involves the movement of the transparent and pigmented films in overlying relationship to a folding device. The folding device, which may comprise an A-frame, operates to fold under the overlying film portions along one side edge. This provides a four-ply portion along this side edge.

The overlying films including the four-ply portion are then transported to a heat sealing station where a heat seal is formed in the area of the four-ply portion. Specifically, a heat seal is formed along a line extending parallel with the side edges of the film or web, and located inwardly of the side having the four-ply section.

With the four-ply section thus permanently provided in thefilms, individual bags are formed by means of a transverse cutting operation. This operation preferably involves the use of a hot knife which cuts the overlying films into individual bags. The hot knife, in conventional fashion, also serves to heat seal the overlying films together whereby the individual bags will be heat sealed along each side edge.

The bags produced in accordance with the concepts recognized as highly suitable materials for forming bags. It will be appreciated; however, that other varieties of film could be employed for purposes of accomplishing the results of this invention.

The films are fed between rolls l8 and 20 whereby they are disposed in overlying relationship as shown in FIG. 4. The overlying films are then passed over a folding construction 22 which may comprise an A-frame or any other conventionally used device which will achieve the folding required for the performance of the invention.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the folding station results in the folding of the overlying films along one edge thereof. The folding operation is controlled so that only relatively narrow portions of the films are folded whereby a four-ply portion 24 is formed along one edge of the overlying films. After folding, the overlying films are carried to a heat sealing station which is provided with a hot wire sealing means 26. This wire side edges when the film is cut transversely at intervals by means of the hot knife. As is the usual practice, the intervals of application of the hot knife will vary depending upon the desired width of the bags.

As shown in FIG. 2, the film 14 is wider than the underlying film 16 to the extent that an overhanging edge portion 33 is located along the edge of the overlying films opposite the edge having the four-ply section 24. This extending portion 33 is, in accordance with conventional practice, employed for simplifying the insertion of a product into the bag. Thus, the bags are designed for insertion of products into the open end 34 defined between the side walls of a completed bag as shown in FIG. 7. This bag end may be closed by the use of a hot knife or other technique once the product is inserted.

The bag construction of this invention provides distinct advantages when compared with bags convention'- ally produced on a mass production basis. As shown in FIG. 7, the bag structure includes an upper film portion 14 which is transparent and which provides a viewing window for the product 36 located within the bag. The lower film portion 16 is pigmented to provide a suitable background for the product. This background can be readily selected to provide the most appealing display for the product from a merchandising standpoint. In addition, the automatic provision of the re-inforced end 24 results in a bag which can be very efficiently suspended for display purposes. Thus, by simply forming an opening in this re-enforced area, the bag can be located on a wire support of a rack display. The structure is also readily suited for the application of a grommet 38 as described in applicant's US. Pat. No. 3,256,127. Various other uses are possible for the reenforced end portion such as for attachment to other articles by means of staples which can be more readily accomplished because of the strength of this portion of the bag.

in addition to the display features which the bag provides, the system is readily suited for the provision of printed material on the bag, for example as illustrated in FIG. 7. It is quite simple to locate printed matter on one of the films and to then use that film for bag making in the manner described. This is materially more efficient than attempting to print a completed bag which is a much less satisfactory way of achieving a structure which will serve the purposes of this invention. Similarly, the structure of this invention is much more desirable from the standpoint of manufacturing cost and difficulty than bags which include a separate strip of re enforcement, for example, a heavy plastic or cardboard insert. The technique described accomplishes the results of such re-enforced bags in a much simpler and less expensive fashion and, in addition, the display features described are achieved.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in theabove described construction which provide the techniques of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, particularly as defined in the following claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. An article carrying bag comprising a pigmented flexible film forming one wall of the bag, a transparent film of substantially the same flexible material forming the opposite bag wall, the adjoining side edges of said films being heat sealed together to form closed sides for the bag, each of said films including a short extension at one end of the bag, each extension being folded over in the same direction to provide a pair of short return portions overlying one of said films whereby four plies of said films are present at said one end, a transverse heat seal displaced inwardly from the edge of said bag at said one end and extending transversely across the bag along a line adjacent the end of said short return portions whereby the four plies of material are secured together thereby providing a re-enforced end suitable for suspending the bag while holding an article therein, the end of the bag opposite said one end remaining open during manufacturing to permit insertion of articles into the bags after formation of the heat seals, said transparent film providing a window for said bag and said pigmented film providing a background whereby said article is displayed in front of said background when held in the bag, and an opening defined by said one end of the bag to provide a means for suspending the bags during display of articles contained therein.

2. An article carrying bag in accordance with claim 1 including at least one grommet heat sealed at said opening for further re-enforcing said one end of the bag.

3. An article carrying bag in accordance with claim 1 wherein said films comprise polyethylene. 

1. An article carrying bag comprising a pigmented flexible film forming one wall of the bag, a transparent film of substantially the same flexible material forming the opposite bag wall, the adjoining side edges of said films being heat sealed together to form closed sides for the bag, each of said films including a short extension at one end of the bag, each extension being folded over in the same direction to provide a pair of short return portions overlying one of said films whereby four plies of said films are present at said one end, a transverse heat seal displaced inwardly from the edge of said bag at said one end and extending transversely across the bag along a line adjacent the end of said short return portions whereby the four plies of material are secured together thereby providing a re-enforced end suitable for suspending the bag while holding an article therein, the end of the bag opposite said one end remaining open during manufacturing to permit insertion of articles into the bags after formation of the heat seals, said transparent film providing a window for said bag and said pigmented film providing a background whereby said article is displayed in front of said background when held in the bag, and an opening defined by said one end of the bag to provide a means for suspending the bags during display of articles contained therein.
 2. An article carrying bag in accordance with claim 1 including at least one grommet heat sealed at said opening for further re-enforcing said one end of the bag.
 3. An article carrying bag in accordance with claim 1 wherein said films comprise polyethylene. 